If money and travel time were no option for an educational field trip then i would go to Seacamp in Key West, Florida. Seacamp is a Marine science/scuba class where you can go for a week and explore the waters yourself. They provide activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, science, and marine biology. This location is just a few minutes away from the only living coral reef in the United States. Here you can actually see and learn about the ocean and how it works. Courses may include general marine sciences, marine communities, animal behavior, marine invertebrates, marine botany, marine vertebrates, marine geology, and marine aquaria. Advanced studies are offered in reef fish ecology, coral reef ecology, independent studies, and underwater field research using scuba.
http://www.summercamps.com/Detailed/271.html